Faculty from the College of Health and Human Services

John Capitman

My training is in Social Psychology and Public Policy. I have designed and implemented diverse research programs using both quantitative and qualitative methods. I focus on distinguishing individual and contextual determinants of health and well-being. I have focused on how policy and program implementation interact with environmental and individual factors in shaping health.

Jaymin Kwon

I measure human exposure to environmental pollutants in indoor and outdoor air and surfaces. Spatial and temporal characterization of exposure to air pollutants using geographic information systems and statistics.

Mara Brady

I study ancient sedimentary records. To date, my research has largely focused on tropical marine limestones, where sediments are largely formed through the biological production of calcium carbonate. I use the characteristics of the sediments and fossils to reconstruct past environmental and biological changes. In particular, I'm interested in how we can compare sedimentary and fossils records from different times and places, even though no record contains a complete history of events.

Jason Bush

My lab is focused on cancer cell biology with emphases on biomarkers and mechanisms of how cancer cells start and how they move. We use a combination of tools/instruments to analyze DNA and protein in cancer cells including gene sequencing and protein profiling. We are particularly interested in the role of pesticides in breast and prostate cancer; defining early markers of pancreatic cancer; defining aggressive forms of thyroid cancer; and stem cell biology.

John Constable

My expertise is in plant growth processes and understanding how plants respond to variations in environmental conditions. Specifically I assess plant health by measuring photosynthesis and relative growth of roots and shoots in response to variations in water availability, competition from neighboring plants for water and nutrients), and light.

Laurent Dejean

Mitochondria are organelles involved in both life and death processes within all eukaryotic cells. These organelles release pro-death mediators during early apoptosis; and this release represents the commitment step of programmed cell death. The Bcl-2 family of proteins is a key regulator of the mitochondrial response to apoptotic signals. This family contains both pro- (Bax and Bak) and anti- (Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL) apoptotic members. All these proteins eventually localize to mitochondria and finely regulate the release of apoptotic mediators. The focus of my research is to understand the mechanisms that underlie and control this release of mitochondrial proteins during both physiological and pathophysiological conditions.

Joy Goto

My group is studying the cellular, molecular, and organismal level effects of an environmental neurotoxin, BMAA, on the model system of fruit flies and human neuronal cells. We are interested in the locomotor, viability, and biochemical (antioxidant proteins and activities) changes in these two model systems. In addition, we are studying the molecular changes of BMAA under physiological conditions, using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).

Alam Hasson

Our group's current activities include: 1. Evaluation of the rate of gas phase pollutants in the atmosphere by studying the rate of their reactions and quantifying the reaction products formed; 2. Measurements of trace levels of atmospheric pollutants (mostly organics) in the gas and particle phase; 3. Emissions measurements of ozone precursors and greenhouse gases.

Krish Krishnan

Application of tools from physics, mathematics and computer science to solve chemically and biologically important problems. We extensively use Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy and computer simulations to study structure and dynamics of proteins. In addition, we use a range of biostatistical and bioinformatics tools to analyze large scale experimental data, such as biomarker detection and metabolomics.

Mamta Rawat

Medical Microbiology; Molecular pathogenesis and pathogenomics; Drug resistance; Biochemistry and the role of thiols in microorganisms; Stress response of microorganisms; Bioremediation capacity of actinomycetes.

Matthieu Richaud

My background is in micropaleontology, the study of small fossils (remains of once-living organisms), with an emphasis on paleoceanograph, the study of past oceans. I have knowledge of oceanography, foraminifera (marine protists), stable isotopes (O and C), "wet" geochemistry, and marine biological productivity.

Larry Riley

Our recent work is focusing on the effect environmental stressors have on influencing the endocrine control of food intake, growth, and metabolism. My laboratory has the capability to house and rear fish in a laboratory setting where we can manipulate stressors in a controlled environment. My lab uses organismal to molecular tools to investigate our questions.

Brian Tsukimura

I conduct research on crustacean reproduction related to aquaculture; pest control in rice fields (reduction of use of Copper Sulfate) through depression of reproductive systems; and invasive species in marine and brackish water (Chinese mitten crab).

Pete Van de Water

I have expertise in Quaternary (last geological period of about 1 million years) paleo-environmental reconstruction. I have worked for a long time with pollen from lake and sediment deposits. I also have a background in tree-ring analysis and identification of paleo-botanical samples. With my interest in past pollen records it has led me to modern pollen concentrations in the atmosphere and the effect of allergenic pollen on human populations. Currently I am involved with a project from NASA that is trying to remotely sense pollination in trees growing across the southwestern United States. I also am involved with the genetic transfer of GM genes from crops to wild relatives and back again.

John Wakabayashi

The study of geomorphology, or Earth surface processes, is a part of my research, and these processes are an important part of the Earth system, as they represent the interaction between the solid Earth, atmosphere, and biosphere. My research into bedrock geology, through the disciplines of structural geology, tectonics, study of metamorphic rocks, and geochemistry has relevance in understanding global geochemical cycles that impact climate and the nature of the oceans.

Zhi (Luke) Wang

My expertise and interests are in the interdisciplinary areas of soil and water science and engineering, such as water and solute (salt) movement in porous soils and fractured rocks, watershed monitoring and environmental hydrogeology, GIS applications in hydrology and natural resource management, climate change effects on hydrology, hydraulics in irrigation engineering, and soil and water conservation in arid regions. At present, I am conducting DoD-funded research on the shallow saline aquifer monitoring system at the Naval Air Station in Lemoore, California.

Beth Weinman

I study how soils and groundwaters naturally behave and evolve within landforms. In particular, I work on projects that try to understand how aquifers develop complex patterns of things like groundwater arsenic heterogeneity. My current work encompasses several of Asia's arsenic prone regions--including Bangladesh, Nepal, and Vietnam--where I use geochemical and sediment-dating techniques to tell how fast or slow groundwaters naturally accumulate arsenic. Coupled with this, my newer work looks at soil formation rates in the nearby Sierra Nevada, to tell from where arsenic is being sourced--is it being released into groundwaters from the overlying soils or being released from rocks weathering deeper down in the aquifer, below the soil zone.

Alice Wright

A large part of my research is studying degradation of pesticides by soil bacteria. This includes looking at the biochemical pathways, the genes encoding the enzymes, and the microbes capable of the degradation. I also study how agricultural practices affect microbial communities using molecular techniques. We also study pathogens in regional water streams using molecular and source tracking techniques.

Stuart McFeeters

I am skilled in using remote sensing analytical techniques to study environments. I can make use of satellite images, images acquired from aircraft, or data acquired at ground level. I can use geographic information systems (GIS) to either address various research problems, which may, or may not include a remote sensing component. I am skilled at using GIS software, image processing software, devices that may be used to collect ground-level spectral data, GPS systems, and other supportive technologies.

Faculty from the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology

Athanasios "Alex" Alexandrou

Particulate matter emissions from agricultural field operations, has been the focus of Dr. Alexandrou's research the last few years. His work includes in situ monitoring of particulate matter emissions and modeling using AERMOD, the regulatory model. His research interests also include questions of energy inputs and carbon emissions during crop production and the use of electrostatic principles for spraying. Dr. Alexandrou has also worked in mechanical weed control and has a strong interest in ancient Greek technology.

Sajeemas Pasakdee

I am an advisor for the Student Operated Organic Farm, and a Soil Scientist/Agronomist for JCAST. My research areas are related to annual cropping systems on organic farms, cover crops, compost, soil and water conservation, and soil fertility management.

Kaomine Vang

I am the program manager for the Center for Irrigation Technology (CIT), and work with water policies and planning. I've been involved with the San Joaquin river restoration and development of Water Science Education. I manage the WATERIGHT program for the CIT and have been involved in different research areas such as irrigation monitoring and scheduling as well as wastewater use for agricultural practices.

Faculty from the Lyles College of Engineering

Ming Xiao

My research involves soils, including how fluids flow in soils, how soils move in fluid. These two processes have profound and wide applications in civil engineering, including erosion, seepage, environmental issues, and infrastructure's performance and sustainability. My research also involves earthquake engineering, particularly new materials' performance during earthquake.

Faculty from the Henry Madden Library

Xiaoming Yang

The Geospatial Information Center (GIC) in the Henry Madden Library is a self-supporting organization at California State University, Fresno. GIC is dedicated to providing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) training, services, infrastructure and spatial analysis to campus entities as well as the community. GIC is committed to building a geo-spatial infrastructure and to increase the GIS capacity throughout the San Joaquin Valley.